10 Life Skills I’ve Mastered or Failed

Today on my lunch break, the article 10 Life Skills You Should Master by Age 30 caught my eye. I thought to myself: I am officially 31. I wonder how many of these skills have I already mastered. So I took the click bait and read the article. I was pleasantly surprised that nine of the ten skills listed were actually pretty good skills for any adult to have, and also that I need to work on a few of these myself.

So here are the ten life skills you should master by age 30 (or 31!) as well as honest commentary on whether I measure up. (How embarrassing!)

1. Changing a Flat Tire FAILED

I am ashamed to admit that I have never changed a flat tire before, and though I understand the general process of how it is done, I should probably practice actually doing it a few times just in case there is an emergency that requires it… Okay, okay. There is no way to talk my way out of this one. It is a big fail.

2. Repairing Your Pipes MASTERED(kind of)

I can and have unclogged drains, tightened leaky facets, fixed a non-flushing toilet, fixed a non-stop-running toilet, and what-not around my apartment and now rental home, but I have not gone so far as repairing the pipes themselves. I will leave that for my dad, the landlord, or a professional. I’m still counting this as mastered, though.

3. Assembling an Emergency Kit IN PROGRESS

Bradley and I have a first aid kit hanging in our laundry closet (center of the house, where you walk by all the time) as well as one always in the trunk of each vehicle. We also have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. However, we have not put together an official disaster emergency kit. Having a disaster emergency kit is a good idea and something on our to do list.

4. Mixing a Signature Cocktail N/A

This does not apply, as we do not consume alcohol.

I have been told, though, that I serve an amazing arrangement of gourmet hot chocolates, apple cider, and teas. Lemonade is a favorite in our household, especially fancy flavors like strawberry, blueberry, and raspberry. And one can never go wrong with a bottle of non-alcoholic Welch’s or Martinelli’s.

5. Mastering at Least One Dish MASTERED

I agree! Everyone – man or woman – should have the confidence to make at least one amazing dish. This comes in handy if your usual chef (whomever that may be) is sick, you are asked to bring something to a church, neighborhood, or office potluck, or you just want to amaze someone with your awesome culinary skills! If you really want to impress, learn a handful of dishes that match different occasions: a dish you can take to holiday parties, something to accommodate friends with food allergies, etc.

It is hard to go wrong if your repertoire includes a salad, a soup, a pasta, and a rice dish. My husband, who is not vegan nor vegetarian, loves my homemade gluten-free vegan mac and cheese, my dill stew with rosemary dumplings, and Pad Thai with peanut sauce. These are all recipes I found online and modified due to my food allergies. Also do not under-estimate the mind-blowing powers of the slow-cooker/crock pot. One of my most fabulous and successful recipes for Sabbath lunches with friends and family is a vegan pumpkin lasagna cooked in a crock pot for three hours. So simple yet delicious!

In the near future, I plan on sharing a few of my successful meals in a brand new column Recipes.

6. Wrapping a Present MASTERED

This is hilarious. My sister approached me only yesterday asking for my hep with wrapping a present for our young nephew. I was not able to help, but she did a good job anyway. Present wrapping is not always the easiest thing, but I can definitely wrap most gifts nicely! My tip for anyone struggling is to master the art of wrapping a square/rectangular box first. Then, if you ever find yourself with an odd-shape gift, you can always fall back on putting it in a box and then wrapping it!

7. Figuring Out the Tip MASTERED

Hint: Many smartphones and/or apps you already have installed on your phone have a tip calculator built in. I discovered that one of the apps I used all the time has a built-in tip calculator where you can choose your own percents (10%, 15%, 18%, 20%, whatever!) and also how many people to split it with. This is an invaluable tool!

8. Creating a Monthly Budget MASTERED

Our budget is not as nailed down as I would like, but I do track the money coming in and out pretty strictly. I keep a very generous “cushion” in the checking that I use as my own, pretend zero balance. This cushion is only to be used in case of emergencies (like car repairs, an unexpected bill, etc.) and not for everyday expenses. Then on a monthly basis: 10% automatically goes to tithes with a little extra for offerings, 10% automatically goes to the savings (not to be touched!), bills (one set at the beginning of the month and another in the middle of the month) are always paid immediately after the paychecks are deposited, and then normal living expenses (groceries, clothes, etc). At the end of the month, if there is any “extra”, it is moved over to the savings.

9. Effectively Packing Luggage MASTERED

As someone who moved fairly regularly growing up and also have gone on countless trips by air and by car, I am quite confident in my packing abilities.

10. Mending Clothing FAILED

I am sad to say that mending and sewing are not my area of expertise. Last year, the button of a brand new pair of dress pants popped off (the thread as loose apparently when I bought them), and I tried so very hard to re-attach the button. A week later, it fell off again. I am terrible at mending clothing. In fact, one favorite pair of black dress pants has a hole in the seam along the outside of the left thigh. I have temporarily mended it by using tiny black safety pins. *face palm*

So what is my tally when it comes to the ten life skills I should have mastered by age 30?

Mastered: 6
Failed: 2
In Progress: 1
Does not apply: 1

Hmm… It looks like I have a little work to do! How about you? Which life skills have you mastered?